UMass DesignBuild (UMDB) brings together students from the UMass Department of Architecture, the UMass Building and Construction Technology Program, and the Five College Architectural Studies Program to design and build innovative, small-scale, affordable housing for under-served communities in Western Massachusetts. Our mission is to provide transformational educational experiences that empower our students to become ethical leaders in their chosen professions.
In 2022, UMDB completed the construction of a 350 square foot, net-zero ready accessory dwelling unit (ADU). After being showcased at the Green River Music Festival, the “Hygge House” was donated to OneHolyoke Community Development Corporation, a not-for-profit community housing provider in Holyoke, MA.
In 2023, UMDB continued to partner with OneHolyoke CDC and delivered an innovative, small-scale, single family residential affordable housing unit.
This year, 2024, students were challenged to design a small, different in geometry but similar in program from the 2023 project. It will again be a single family residence located in an another urban infill site in another Holyoke neighborhood. The students’ proposal – named the “8th Sister” in reference to Holyoke’s nearby Seven Sister Mountain Range – is an approximately 600 square foot house that includes tone bedroom and bathroom with expanded open space for entry, kitchen, dining , and socializing. An alternative approach from Paper House offering alternative design maximization for flexibility of small-scale housing.
Of note. because of the rigor imposed by the new 2024 International Energy Code, the design continues to improve on energy consumption; plus, embodied carbon is reduced with the introduction of alternative sustainable materials, i.e., wood fiber insulation, compressed straw-bale, and elimination of a full concrete foundation.
Project Faculty Leaders
Design Phase:
- Naomi Darling – Five College Architectural Studies Program
- Robert Williams – UMass Architecture
Construction Phase:
- L. Carl Fiocchi – UMass Building and Construction Technology (ECO)
- Kent Hicks – UMass Building and Construction Technology (ECO)
Contact
Contact the faculty members directly for any inquiries.